Green Bay Packers Expected To Stay Aggressive In Free Agency

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has been aggressive at the outset of free agency, and is expected to remain assertive in the coming days. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

For more than a quarter century, a low-end retail store ran what they called a “Blue Light Special.”

The store offered surprise, hour-long sales on selected merchandise, much to the delight of customers.

The NFL’s version of bargain shopping will be here soon, as well. And even though the Green Bay Packers signed four high-priced, unrestricted free agents earlier this week, don’t expect them to be done shopping.

The Packers are 13-18-1 in the last two seasons and have missed the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 2005-’06. If the Packers miss the postseason in 2019, it will mark the first time in three decades that they’ll miss the playoffs in three straight years.

So Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst is taking a more aggressive approach to free agency than the team has seen in years.

“You’re always trying to get better and improve the roster,” Gutekunst said. “There’s still guys out there we’re kind of peeking at.”

“We’ll continue to look to always improve the back end of the roster if we can. It’s kind of never ending. I don't know if you ever really feel, ‘Hey. Wow. It’s just exactly how you want it.’ Things change, and as things change, you have to change and have to adapt. But we’re excited. We’re excited to improve the team and we’re excited about what’s coming up in the draft. We’ll see where it goes.”

The Packers are clearly in a ‘win now’ mode. And in a matter of two short hours Tuesday, Gutekunst handed out $56 million in signing bonuses and brought in four players he believes can help Green Bay reverse its fortune.

The Packers gave former Baltimore outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith a four-year, $66 million deal that included a $20 million signing bonus and pays Smith $34.5 million in the first two years. Ex-Washington outside linebacker Preston Smith signed a four years, $52 million deal that included a $16 million signing bonus.

Former Chicago Bears safety Adrian Amos signed a four-year, $37 million deal that included an $11 million signing bonus. And ex-Denver offensive lineman Billy Turner signed a four-year, $28 million deal with a $9 million signing bonus.

Despite those signing, the Packers are still $13.9 million under the salary cap and can now go on the hunt for deals.

“As you go through, you’re constantly monitoring where everything’s at,” Gutekunst said. “And then, if it makes sense for us, then we go forward. And so we’re in that phase and we’ll continue to be in that phase going forward.”

Last season, Gutekunst signed defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson and tight end Jimmy Graham in the early wave of free agency. Neither player gave the Packers much bang for their buck, though.

Gutekunst did find far better deals, though, in the second wave of free agency.

He signed veteran cornerback/safety Tramon Williams to a two-year, $10 million deal. Williams was then one of the more reliable players in Green Bay’s secondary.

On May 25, Gutekunst signed tight end Marcedes Lewis — who was the Packers’ best blocker at that position — to a one-year, $2.1 million deal. And on May 30, Gutekunst signed guard Byron Bell to a one-year, $1.61 million deal, then had to be pleased to watch Bell make nine starts.

The Packers took major steps towards plugging their holes at outside linebacker, safety and offensive line earlier this week. But Green Bay still needs another safety, help on the offensive and defensive lines, and at least one, and maybe two tight ends.

Most of the NFL’s top free agents were gobbled up and signed earlier this week. But there are several solid players still to be had.

And when that blue light goes on, expect Gutekunst and the Packers to be ready.

“There’s guys, as these other guys sign, they’ll be guys that get let go,” Gutekunst said. “That’s a really good market to be in as well. I think the one thing our personnel staff’s done a really good job of is always kind of touching base and knowing where things are at because things do happen quickly and we have to be ready to go when that happens. So yeah, that’s part of it and that will continue really all the way up until training camp and beyond.”